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The record label representing award-winning singer Jorja Smith has declared its intention to receive a share of earnings from a song it claims was created using an artificial intelligence "replica" of the performer's distinctive voice.

The track, titled 'I Run' by UK dance act Haven, achieved massive popularity on social media last October, partly due to its smooth soul vocals by an unnamed woman vocalist.

Although its momentum and impending top 40 entry in both UK and US, the song was subsequently banned by major streaming platforms after music organizations issued copyright notices, stating it violated copyright by impersonating another artist.

Although 'I Run' has now been reissued with different singing, Smith's label, FAMM, maintains it is convinced the original recording was generated with AI programmed on her body of work and is now pursuing financial redress.

A Broader Issue in Play

"This isn't just about one artist. It's larger than a single performer or a single track," the label stated in a recent statement.

FAMM further expressed its view that "each iterations of the track violate the artist's rights and unjustly benefit from the work of all the writers with whom she works."

Known for songs like 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things', Smith was named British Female Solo Artist at the annual Brit Awards in 2019.

Implying that her supporters were potentially deceived by Haven's original track, the label added: "Our industry must not allow this to be the new normal."

Creators Admit Employing AI Technology

The duo behind the track have openly admitted utilizing AI in its creation.

Songwriter Harrison Walker clarified that the initial vocals were actually his own but were extensively manipulated using AI music software Suno, often called the "advanced tool for music".

In addition, the other producer, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, confirmed on his accounts that AI was used to "apply our original vocal a female tone".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they wrote and created the song themselves and have even provided files of their source computer files.

"This is no secret that I used AI-powered vocal editing to transform solely my voice for 'I Run'," Walker elaborated.

"As a creator and maker, I enjoy experimenting with innovative technologies, methods and staying on the cutting edge of what's happening," he continued.

"To set the facts straight, the artists behind HAVEN are real and human, and all we want to do is make enjoyable music for fellow humans."

Legal Uncertainty and Industry Implications

While their original version of 'I Run' was suspended from major charts, the replacement recording did break into the UK Top 40 recently.

FAMM has positioned the incident as a significant precedent for the music industry's changing relationship with artificial intelligence.

The label stated it had "an obligation to voice concerns" and "stimulate public discourse", because AI is advancing at an "alarming rate and substantially outpacing legal oversight".

"Computer-created content should be clearly labelled as such so that the public may choose whether they listen to it or not," the statement continued.

Creators Become 'Collateral Damage'

Smith endorsed her label's position on her personal Instagram page.

The post cautioned that musicians and songwriters were becoming "unintended casualties in the race by governments and corporations towards AI supremacy".

It also noted that the label would distribute any awarded songwriting credits with the writers behind Smith's catalogue.

"Should we are able in establishing that AI helped to write the lyrics and tune in 'I Run' and are awarded a share of the song, we would seek to assign every one of Jorja's co-writers with a corresponding share," it explained.

The Continuing Growth of AI Music

The emergence of algorithmically created music has been a source of both interest and consternation for the entertainment world.

• In the summer, the band Velvet Sundown accumulated vast numbers of plays before revealing they used AI to help develop their sound.
• Recently, an AI-generated "artist" known as Breaking Rust led a US country sales chart, showing that audiences are not always opposed to consuming computer-generated music.
• Suno was previously taken to court for alleged violations by the world's major biggest record labels, though those cases have since been settled.

Subsequently, Warner Music entered into a collaboration with the company, which will allow users to create songs using the voices, names, and images of Warner artists who opt in to the program.

Yet, it is uncertain how many established artists will agree to such applications of their identity.

Just last week, a group of renowned artists such as Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush issued a vinyl album containing silent songs or audio of quiet studios in opposition to proposed changes to copyright law.

They argue these changes would make it easier for AI companies to train models using copyrighted work without securing a license.